Doc Rivers sees championship potential in Clippers

It was 12 days of some of the more unusual trade negotiations in NBA history, and Doc Rivers figured the whole thing was history.

So on Sunday, he turned off his phone and settled in to watch his son Spencer in an AAU game with his thoughts on rebuilding the Boston Celtics.

When he turned his phone back on later Sunday, there were about 15 messages from Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge.

"Sunday was a comical day," Rivers said. "I turned on the phone and Danny said the deal was done."

On Wednesday, the Clippers put the cap on the whirlwind sequence by introducing Rivers as their new coach and senior vice president of basketball operations.

A huge media presence greeted Rivers at Clippers headquarters in Playa Vista after they had hammered out the final details of a three-year, $21 million deal that cost them a 2015 first-round draft pick as compensation for the Celtics.

It was the second time in franchise history the Clippers had spent a first-round pick to grab Rivers, who played for the club in 1991-92. The Clippers reached the playoffs that year with no expectations.

They reached the postseason this year with considerably higher expectations, and didn't advance out of the first round, so they shopped for the best coach available.

"We felt like with this team, with this city, with this facility with the players we have, why couldn't we go after anybody? Why should we settle?" Clippers vice president of basketball operations Gary Sacks said.

"We wanted to make sure we exhausted every avenue of vetting the candidates. There were some tremendous ones. What's important is now we have the one we wanted."

Rivers, 51, spent the past nine seasons in Boston, where he led the Celtics to the 2008 NBA title, the 2010 Finals, and 415 regular-season victories.

Whether or not he really wanted to stay in Boston for the Celtics' inevitable restructuring - Rivers insisted he was not looking to necessarily leave Boston - picking up a future first-round pick in return for Rivers seemed to fit everybody at the end.

And the Clippers intrigued Rivers.

"At this point in my life this is the only reason I'm coaching, is to try to win titles," Rivers said. "For us, we have to prove we can win a series first and then go from there.

"The reason I wanted this when it was made available is what they have, not what they don't have. This is an extremely talented basketball team. There were times last year when they were the best team. They're young, and for me it just gave me a lot of life. Working with some of the young talented guys, trying to figure out if we can find a way of becoming a winning team.

"Sometimes you can't. Sometimes you get in there and just some guys aren't ready for it yet. They're still in search of their own careers. Sometimes you can, and that's what I'm hoping for."

Rivers' first task involves tonight's NBA Draft, in which the Clippers hold the No. 25 selection. Then when the calendar turns to July, free agents are allowed to be contacted by clubs and that means the recruitment of Chris Paul to rejoin Blake Griffin as the pillars of the team.

Rivers said he has spoken to Paul and several Clippers, but has known him basically only as a combatant with the Celtics and guard Rajon Rondo.

"I don't know Chris well at all. I've gotten to know him," Rivers said. "I've talked to him many times. I've broken up a couple of fights with him and Rondo.

"That was the first time I ever touched Chris Paul, I was trying to pull him off my guy. I like his feistiness, I've always liked that in guards. ...

"I like players that have a fire about them, so I've always liked Chris because of that."

The hiring of one of the few active coaches to win an NBA crown was met with obvious enthusiasm by the Clippers' players. Center Ryan Hollins and forward Ronny Turiaf made that known with their presence Wednesday.

"Doc isn't aiming to be undefeated in the preseason, he isn't aiming to set the record for wins in the season, he's looking for a championship," said Hollins, who spent a portion of the 2011-12 season in Boston. "He knows and understands how to mold and create a team for the long run.

"So those are the things that could make it very scary and a wake-up call to the whole league as far as Doc being in Los Angeles."